Very poor RE selling market here. 60 homes on market.

The E-Myth by Michael Gerber- Start and operate your business with the consumer in mind... not you... not your product or service.

I've seen great properties get run into the ground by poor operators. 

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

Always ask for references and examples of similar projects (pictures)The Red Flags you have to Avoid:Lowball bids (too good to be true often is).Poor communication or delays in responding.Hesitation to provide references or sign a detailed contract.Cash-only deals or pushy behavior to secure the job.

It's a pretty standard product these days.

I looked in thrift stores and on FB Marketplace for my house, but found poor selection, and none of it fit in with the decor I was going for.

This points to poor management and/or marketing. 

Borrower Types: The Professional - HM Lender will cut sweet-heart deals to keep these borrowers around Experienced real estate investors Regularly engage in property transactions Typically have a track record of successful projects The Newbie - Charge Higher everything as the risk is higher as no experience Novice investors or first-time borrowers Limited experience in real estate Seeking to build their investment portfolio The Deadbeat - Only lend if the deal is so SWEET, they can't lose if they take the property from the Borrower Borrowers with poor credit history or financial difficulties High-risk borrowers May struggle to secure traditional financingThe lender will do an application on the deal/borrower and some standard docs they require are:Hard Money Application / ExperiencePurchase contractARV report – COMPS – See * Redfin*Pictures of Property – most people use Dropbox to shareProof of Funds – Down / Reserves (Bank Statements)Personal identification (ID or passport)But usually if the deal is sweet enough, they will do it anyway because if the deal goes south, there is so much equity/value in the property that the HM lender can't lose.

I've been wanting to get into real estate since when I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki in 2004.